CSL Florey

Saving young lives by the million

Professor Ruth Bishop, 2013 CSL Florey Medallist

By their third birthday, just about every child in the world has had a rotavirus infection. Every day about 1200 children die from it; half a million children every year. That’s changing. We’re fighting back thanks to a discovery made in 1973 by a quiet Melbourne researcher—this year’s winner of the 2013 CSL Florey Medal.

That was when Ruth Bishop, Brian Ruck, Geoffrey Davidson and Ian Holmes at the Royal Children’s Hospital and the University of Melbourne’s microbiology department found a virus, now known as rotavirus. Until the middle of the last decade, it put about 10,000 Australian children in hospital each year with acute gastroenteritis. In the next decade, as a direct result of their research, millions of young lives will be saved.

Australian bionic ear pioneer Professor Graeme Clark will receive the CSL Florey Medal tonight in the presence of 90 of his peers at the 2011 Association of Australian Medical Research Institute’s annual dinner in the Mural Hall at Parliament House Canberra.

Tuesday: Niall’s at the Excellence in Health Journalism awards at the National Press Club. Update: Niall accepted the Health Journalist of the Year 2011 award on behalf of Melbourne film-maker Sonya Pemberton. More here.

Wednesday: Blamey & Saunders Hearing’s new name and office are being launched by Michelle Gallaher, CEO of the BioMelbourne Network

Thursday: For 30 years the Menzies Foundation has been awarding scholarships to researchers in health sciences and the humanities.
Tim’s off to the 2011 Menzies Memorial Scholars announcement tonight – more information here.

This week I’ve got a couple of media alerts and some stories you may have missed from last week – things that we saw and liked. This week it includes: insulin without needles; a memory test for dementia risk; vitamin B reduces work stress and more.

Next Monday we will announce the $50,000 CSL Florey Medal. Previous winners include Ian Frazer and Nobel Laureates Barry Marshall and Robin Warren.

We’ll be releasing information on embargo later in the week, if you’d like to receive a heads-up, give me a call on 0417 131 977.

Applications for two prizes for biomedical research are closing very soon.

The $50,000 CSL Florey Medal closes tomorrow, 16 September. The prize is awarded to researchers who have made significant achievements in biomedical science and human health advancement. Find the selection criteria here and the nomination form here.

This is my occasional update on science prizes, this time highlighting a new $25,000 prize for early career biomedical researchers.

The Centenary Institute Lawrence Creative Prize is a $25,000 award for outstanding creativity in biomedical research by young scientists. The winner gets to spend half on themselves and half on their research. Applications close Monday 19 September.[continue reading…]

Sarah is an excellent communicator. I usually find it difficult to engage in a full day's course, but I did not feel that way at this course.

Anonymous - Sydney Jan 2020

2020-01-28T14:37:41+11:00

Anonymous - Sydney Jan 2020

Sarah is an excellent communicator. I usually find it difficult to engage in a full day's course, but I did not feel that way at this course.

https://www.scienceinpublic.com.au/testimonials/24338

Really liked the way you trained everyone on their field to help them on their research and how they can maximise it.

Anonymous - Sydney Jan 2020

2020-01-28T14:48:26+11:00

Anonymous - Sydney Jan 2020

Really liked the way you trained everyone on their field to help them on their research and how they can maximise it.

https://www.scienceinpublic.com.au/testimonials/24339

I think we should receive this kind of training since graduate studies.

Anonymous - Sydney Jan 2020

2020-01-28T14:55:33+11:00

Anonymous - Sydney Jan 2020

I think we should receive this kind of training since graduate studies.

https://www.scienceinpublic.com.au/testimonials/24341

Well presented & great format

Anonymous - Sydney Jan 2020

2020-01-28T15:03:20+11:00

Anonymous - Sydney Jan 2020

Well presented & great format

https://www.scienceinpublic.com.au/testimonials/24342

Sarah's structure of the course, specific insight and understanding of science, her contacts and common mistakes made in communication were great and furthered my skills in this area.

Anonymous - Sydney Jan 2020

2020-01-28T15:04:28+11:00

Anonymous - Sydney Jan 2020

Sarah's structure of the course, specific insight and understanding of science, her contacts and common mistakes made in communication were great and furthered my skills in this area.

https://www.scienceinpublic.com.au/testimonials/24343

This is one of the best science communication courses I have ever encountered. It teaches all research to think out of box and really simplify their research in lay man's language. I will highly recommend this to anyone looking to learn more about science communication.

Shwathy Ramesh

2020-02-24T09:29:55+11:00

Shwathy Ramesh

This is one of the best science communication courses I have ever encountered. It teaches all research to think out of box and really simplify their research in lay man's language. I will highly recommend this to anyone looking to learn more about science communication.